Spot shirring attachment



July 15, 1947; FOWLER 2,424,157

S POT SHIRRING ATTACHMENT Filed April 11, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor:-

July 15, 1947. G. FOWLER SPOT SHIRRING ATTACHMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1944 I g E y G. FOWLER 2,424,157

SPOT SHIRRING ATTACHMENT Filed April 11, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- SPOT SHIRRING ATTACHMENT Gilbert Fowler, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 11, 1944, Serial No. 530,534

tion filed November 16, 1943, Serial No. 510,567.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an attachment for sewing machines which, when assembled thereon, can be used for selectively shirring, top stitching and plain sewing in one continuous operation, a single or a plurality of layers or plies of fabric, particularly one, two or three layers or plies.

Another object and very important feature of the invention is to mount the shirring mechanism underneath the bed or table of a sewing machine with the shirring blade arm projecting through a slot in the throat plate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact mechanism for assembly on a sewing machine, with means to receive motion from the feed rocker shaft, said mechanism including a number of lever-like members and connecting elements having certain adjustments for regulating the throw of the shirring blade and its arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fabric separating plate of unique construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fabric folder for one layer or ply of the goods being operated upon, which folder also functions as a guard for the upper end of the arm carrying the shirring blade and said shirring blade.

A further object of the invention is to combine a specially designed presser foot with the balance of the apparatus to permit operation of the shirring blade in close proximity to the needle of the sewing machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means to cause the device to continuously carry out the shirring operations as long as desired.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent from the description, this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe a construction in detaiLreferring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary end view of a sewing machine with my shirrin attachment assembled thereon.

Fig. 2 is a rear View with a portion of the sew- 7 Claims. (01. 112134) ing machine in section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and a portion of the folder* guard broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary face view of the shirring blade arm and connecting link.

Fig, 4 is a section of one of the levers on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.,

Fig. 7 is a section On the line 'l! of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sewing machine table or bed illustrating the relation of the folder-guard and fabric separating plate to the throat plate and correlated parts;

Fig. 9 is a top face view of the separating plate and a portion of the throat plate.

Fig. 10 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 11 is a front view of the folder-guard.

Fig. 12 is a top end view of the presser foot.

Fig. 13 is an inner side view of the same.

Fig. 14 is a face view of a workpiece showing two plies of goods sewn together with a top stitch and portions of one ply or layer shirred.

Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Fig. 16 is a face view of a workpiece showing three flat plies or layers of goods sewn together with regular or plain stitching and an end of one layer turned back to expose a part of the intermediate layer which is shirred at different locations.

Fig, 17 is a sectional View of the same.

Fig. 18 is a face view of a doubled piece of goods shirred at different locations and sewn between two other layers of goods, one of which is top stitched.

Fig. 19 is a vertical section thereof.

Fig. 20 is a top edge view of the attachment with the upper end of the shirring blade arm broken off.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied 25 represents a sewing machine including the table or bed 26, the bobbin access plate 21, a throat plate 28, a feed lifting rocker shaft 29 and a feed rock shaft 38, said shafts being supported in suitable bearings 3|. In addition there are shown in Fig. 1 the needle bar 32 carrying the needle 33, the presser foot bar 34 carrying the presser foot 35 and a depending lug 36, and. in Fig. 8, the feed dog 31.

The main assembly of the attachment is secured to the depending lug 36 by screws 38 which pass through said lug and are screw threaded in the body plate 39. This body plate has a vertical slot 40 in its forward end, Fig. 20, ofiset to one side to provide a relatively thin leaf 4| having suflicient inherent resiliency to return it to 2. normal position after being released subsequent to being drawn inward by the screw 42 projected through a hole in said leaf and threaded into the thicker portion of the body plate opposite the leaf 4|.

To the body plate, within the slot 40, is pivoted the shirring blade arm 43 on the eccentric head of the post or screw 44, said head having a screw driver slot for turning said post or screw for adjusting the position of the arm 43 on the body plate. Access is had to post or screw 44 throu h a hole 45, Figs. 1 and '7, in the leaf 4|.

The ends of the shirring blade arm project above and below the body plate 39 and the lower end carries a screw 45, pin or equivalent, and below said screw 46 is formed a threaded hole 41, Fig. 7, for a purpose to be later described. This screw 46 registers with an angular aperture 48 in one end of the link 49, said aperture 4'8 including a substantially horizontal portion or leg and a substantially vertical portion or leg. The opposite end of the link '49 is pivotally attached at 59 to the lower end of the lever which is pivoted intermedaite its ends, as by a screw 52, on a portion of the body plate 39, which portion may be a reduced part of said body plate.

The upper end of the lever 5| is bifurcated to form a longitudinal slot 53 in which is slidably mounted the flattened shank of the screw 54 for adjustment purposes. The screw 54 has a head which engages one face of the lever 5| and on said screw 54 on the opposite side of said lever is mounted a bearing collar 55 which is engaged by the wing nut 56 screwed on the screw 54.

One end of the connecting rod 51, narrower than the bearing collar 55, is journalled on said collar for pivotally attaching the connecting rod to the lever 5| through the medium of said collar and the screw 54. The wing nut holds the parts in place and the screw in its adjusted position. The other end of said connecting rod is mounted in a similar manner on a bearing collar 55a on a screw 54a having a fiat shank portion slidably mounted in the longitudinal slot 53a of the biiurcated end of the lever '58. A wing nut 56a is screwed onto the screw 54a for retaining the parts in .position and holding said .screw in its adjustment.

The connecting rod 51 thus movably joins the levers .58 and 5| .and said lever 5.8 is placed upon the feed rock shaft 39 and clamped in.po-

sition by the bolt '59. To make certain that the screw 69, Figs. 1 and 6, is projected through the hub of said lever and forced into engagement with the feed rock shaft 30. To limit the outward movement of the screw 154a and prevent its accidental displacement a stop screw 6| is threaded through one of the .arms and projected into the slot 5.3a formed by the bifurcated end of the lever 58.

The link 49 .is normally held in an elevated position, Fig. l, by a spring 62 having one end at.- tached to the pin 63 on the body plate, as the stationary element, and the other end connected to .the pin 64 on the link 49,, as the movable element, to maintain the horizontal portion or leg of the slot 48 in line with the screw 46. The link 49 maybe selectively depressed, .Fig. ,3, to cause the vertical portion or leg of the slot 418 torege ister with .thescrew 46. This can be accomplished in a :number of ways, as by .a knee operated mechanism, but for purposes of illustration I have shown a foot treadle '65, Fig. 1, installed on the floor beneath the machine and connected with the link 49 by a flexible connection 65, such as a chain or cable, having an end passing through the hole 61.

When the link 49 is elevated as in Fig. 1, said link will slide back and forth over the screw 45 and no motion will be transmitted to the shirring arm 43, but when said link is depressed the shirring arm will be oscillated. At such times as small portions of a fabric are to be shirred, the link 49 is intermittently depressed atselected pcriods but if a large amount of the fabric is to be .shirred the arm 43 can be continuously oscillated by placing a screw 68, Fig. 3, in the hole 4?, Fig. 7, which will engage the head of the screw 45 and an edge of the lever alon an edge of the horizontal portion of the angular slot 48.

On the upper end of the arm '43, which projects through a slot 69 in the throat plate 28, is threaded a laterally projecting post 70 on which is swingingly or rotatably mounted a head ll, held in place by a screw l2 threaded into said post. A shirring blade 13 is adjustably attached to said head by two screws 74 passin through a longitudinal slot in the blade and threaded into the head. The blade has a serrated lower end, Fig. 2, in which there also is a needle slot 75. The shirring blade 13 and the head H are urged in a direction that depresses the lower free end of the blade by a spring 16, Fig. 2, having one end fixed to the post 79, as the stationary element, and the other end attached to the head, as the movable element.

GOOperating with the shining blade is a fabric separating plate 'l'l, Figs. 8, 9 and 10, comprised of an anchor plate 18 and a bendable wing plate 19 connected to said anchor plate as a unit. The anchor plate 18 has a lateral open ended slot 89 extending inwardly from one edge and said slot is approximately the same width as the slot 99 in the throat plate. This anchor plate is also provided with longitudinally elongated openings 8| to receive screws 82 which are threaded into the sewing machine bed. The anchor plate 18 can be adjusted longitudinally to properly align the slot with the slot 69 in the throat plate and the projecting end of the shirring arm 43. In addition said anchor plate has threaded holes 83 adjacent the forward side edge for a purpose to be presently described.

The wing plate 19 has an inner rear extension 84 projecting back of the closed end of the slot 89 and has a number of elongated openings 85 running laterally of the plate for the passage of screws 86 which are threaded into the anchor plate. This arrangement permits adjustment of the wing plate laterally relative to the anchor plate. wardl y from the rear side edge of the wing plate to slightly weaken said wing plate whereby the portion overhanging from the-anchor plate may be bent vertically for regulating the distance of said overhanging portion from the machine bed. This is essential for regulating the space to accommodate fabrics of different thicknesses. In order that fabric may be readily inserted beneath the wing plate, the tip of the latter is turned upwa d l htly as a A folder-guard or top plate 89 includes a ledge 98 with elongated openings 9| therein extending longitudinally, through which screws .92 are passed and screwed into the threaded holes .83 in the anchor plate of the separating plate unit.

Further there is a notch 87 extending in- From the ledge 99 rises the canopy 93 having an arcuate front portion and an inclined rear portion which overlies the rear edge of the fabric separating unit I! and covers the upper end of the arm 43. On the canopy 93 is fixed the arm 95 of the volute fabric folding element 95.

The special presser foot 35, Figs. 1, 12 and 13, is mounted in the usual manner on the presser foot bar 35 and includes a small toe 95 and a large toe Bl wider and longer than the small toe, as well as a thick heel $8 so as to be offset from the bottoms of the toes. This leaves a space or undercut beneath the toes for projection of the shirring blade under them when the heel of the presser foot is in engagement with the rear portion of the feed dog 3? or the fabric between them.

When the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1, a piece of fabric may be placed under or over the wing plate or one piece of fabric may be placed under said wing plate '59 and another piece placed over said wing plate or through the folder 95, or one piece of fabric may be placed under the wing plate 19, another over the same and a third through the folder. The presser foot 35 is then lowered to clamp the fabric between said presser foot and the feed dog and the sewing operations can then be accomplished.

Upon actuation of the sewing machine with the link 45 elevated, Fig. 1, said link will be reciprocated longitudinally through the medium of the feed rock shaft Sil, lever 58, connecting rod 5'! and the lever 5!. As the horizontal portion or leg of the angular slot 43 is in alignment with the screw 45, the link 49 will ride over said screw 46 and the shirring arm 43 will remain stationary. In this condition plain sewing is accomplished but at any preselected point, or spot, the link ill may be lowered, Fig. 3, by operating a link depresser, such as the treadle 65. This will cause the vertical or upright por ticn or leg of the angular slot as to register with the screw 16 and motion will be transmitted to the shirring blade arm 3 and the shirring blade lit. The shirring blade will engage the top face of whichever layer or .ply of fabric is exposed to the action of said shirring blade and rapidly but intermittently feed portions of the fabric forwardly just ahead of the feed dog and form gathers in the path of travel of the needle so that each fold or gather is immediately stitched and these stitched gathers constitute the shirring 98, Figs. 14, 16 and 18. Upon release of pressure from the treadle 65 or other link depressing means, the spring 62 will again elevate the link and plain sewing will be done. Thus it will be obvious that a workpiece can be sewn plain and shirred at preselected spots or location for any desired distances in one continuous operation.

By keeping the treadle depressed the workpiece can be shirred throughout the entire length or the screw 68 can be placed in position and the same result can be accomplished. If the link 49 is allowed to remain continually in an elevated position, plain sewing will be done either with or without the folded edge according as to whether the fabric is passed through the folder or outside of it.

By passing one fabric piece or layer I00, Figs. 14 and 15, under the shirring blade '13 and another piece or layer llll through the folder 95, said piece or layer ill! will be folded along an edge and top stitched t the piece or layer I00 6 by the row of stitches I02 as said layer Hill is intermittently shirred and left plain.

In another case three fabric pieces or layers I03, I66 and I05, Figs. 16 and 17, can be operated upon and one of these, as W3, is passed under the wing plate 19, another piece or layer, as FM, is passed over the wing plate and the third piece or layer, as I85, is laid over the folder-guard 89. The intermediate piece or layer Hi4 will be intermittently sewn plain and shirred, according as to when the link 19 is left elevated or depressed, and the other pieces or layers plain sewn by the stitches H16. After the sewing is completed, one of the outer layers, as Hi5, can be turned back to expose the intermediate layer of goods Hit and produce a finished appearance along the line of jointure between the layer lll5 and the other layers of fabric.

An intermediate layer or ply of fabric IE1, Figs. 18 and 19, can be folded upon itself and spot shirred and plain sewn in the same manner as previously described. Whether or not the intermediate layer or ply of goods is folded upon itself, it can be sewn between two other layer or plies Hi8 and W9. In this particular instance, an edge of the layer or ply of goods 9% is passed through the folder so that such edge will be folded or turned under, as at H5, and the stitches ill passed through the folded portion to accomplish what is known as top stitching. This gives a finished appearance to the workpiece as soon as the sewing is completed.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided an exceedingly simple and compact attachment that may be readily assembled c-n a sewing machine and thereafter various types of sewing can be accomplished by merely feeding the goods into the apparatus in different ways and by leaving the mechanism in what may be termed a neutral condition or temporarily latching in a part for producing a changed condition of operation.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

1. The combination with a sewing machine having an apertured throat plate, of a shirring arm pivoted intermediate its ends underneath the machine bed and projecting through said apertured throat plate, a shirring blade swingingly connected to the upper end of said arm, a lever attached to the feed rocker shaft of the sewing machine, a second lever pivoted intermediate its ends, a connecting rod attached to said levers, and a link having one end pivoted to the second named lever and connected through the medium of an angular slot and a screw to the lower end of the shirring arm.

2. In a spot shirring attachment, a separating plate including an anchor plate adapted to be mounted on a sewing machine bed and adjustable longitudinally, and a wing plate mounted on top of the anchor plate with a portion overhanging an end of said anchor plate and adjustable laterally, said over hanging portion of the wing plate having a notch in the rear edge to weaken said plate to permit bending thereof and the outer end of said overhanging portion being turned up slightly.

3. In a device of the kind. described, a body plate having a vertical slot in its forward end offset to one side, a thin leaf produced by the formation of said slot, said thin leaf having an access opening therethrough,-a pivot comprising a post rotatably mounted on the body plate and having an eccentric head positioned wtihin the slot in alignment with the access opening so that access may be had to the pivot post for rotating the latter, a shirring arm pivoted intermediate its ends on the eccentric head Within the slot, the position of said shirring arm being changeable relative ,to the body plate by rotation of the pivot post, and means to flex the thin leaf inwardly for varying the tension on the shirring arm.

4. A spot shirring attachment comprising a slotted body plate, a shirring arm within the slot and projecting above and below said body plate, means to adjustably pivot said arm to the body plate, a head swingingly mounted on the upper end of said arm to one side thereof, a shirring blade mounted on said head and adjustable longitudinally, means to urge the head in a direction that will swing the outer end of the shirring blade downward, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the body plate, the upper end of said lever having a longitudinal slot, a link pivoted at one end to the lower end of said lever, the opposite end of said link having an angular aperture consisting of a substantially horizontal portion or leg below a vertical portion or leg, a screw on the arm registering with the angular slot, means connected with said link and the body plate to normally elevate said link whereby it may reciprocate without oscillating the shirring arm and capable of being depressed for oscillating said arm, a lever adapted to be attached to the feed rock shaft, -a longitudinal slot in the outer end of the last named lever, and a connecting rod adjustably connected to the slotted ends of the levers.

5. The spot shirring attachment of claim 4 wherein the shirring arm has a threaded hole beneath the screw in said arm, and another screw for insertion in said hole and engaging the first named screw and the link to hold the latter depressed.

6. The spot shirring attachment of claim 4 in combination with a sewing machine to which the body plate is fastened beneath the machine bed, an apertured throat plate on the machine bed and through which the upper end of the shirring arm extends at all times, a separating plate overlying a portion of the throat plate and extending beneath the shirring blade, a curved guard plate attached to the separating plate with the outer end of the former terminating short of the contiguous end of said separating plate,

and a folder element projecting from the outer end of said guard plate.

7. The spot shirring attachment of claim 4 in combination with a sewing machine to which the body plate is fastened beneath the machine bed, an apertured throat plate on the machine bed and through which the upper end of the shirring arm extends at all times, a separating plate overlying a portion of the throat plate and extending beneath the shirring blade, a curved guard plate attached to the separating plate with the outer end of the former terminating short of the contiguous end of said separating plate, a folder element projecting from the outer end of said guard plate, and a presser foot having a thick heel portion to provide an ofiset underneath of the toes of said presser foot.

GILBERT FOWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file or" this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,296,550 Onderdonk .et a1. Mar. 4, 1919 2,086,013 Cooper July 6, 1937 2,230,496 Leonard Feb. 4, 1941 1,825,758 Seaman Oct. 6, 1931 129,761 Stackpole July 23, 1872 

